Summer Solstice: Sun Tea

The Summer Solstice is one of our favorite days of the year. Just when it gets so hot outside we are tempted to complain about it, we are given an opportunity to celebrate the summer, the season, the sun. We are reminded how very lucky we are to live in a place where we can bask in its glory. This morning as the sun was just warming up, we went outside to welcome it, and brought with us a pitcher of clean fresh water and raspberry tea leaves. Big B and little b added fresh mint and lemon balm from the garden.
We stopped to notice the sun illuminating the jewels of our little patch of earth.
We went about our morning, knowing the tea would be steeping, waiting for us.
And steep it did! After a few hours, the tea was a strikingly beautiful color and smelled perfume-y, sweetened only by the sun. The boys laid out a picnic blanket and waited patiently for me to bring glasses, ice, and fresh lemon to squeeze.
We took turns giving thanks for the sun, its warmth, its light, its life force. A quick toast, then sweet, refreshing sun tea on the longest day of the year.
To the sun!

"Be like the flower, turn your face to the sun."

-Kahlil Gibran

Beeswax Solstice Candles

Inspired by the beeswax endeavors of Rose and Mama Bird, Big B, little b and I decided to make candles for our family for Christmas this year. We got a gorgeous hunk of sweet smelling wax and wicks from The Night Gardener, scored some little teacups from a thrift store, and set to work on the candles on the Winter Solstice.

Watching the wax melt was strangely gratifying, for all of us.

Big B and little b took turns dipping the wicks into the hot wax and watching them quickly dry.

We then centered the wicks into little metal holders, wrapped the tops around pencils to keep them centered, and poured in the wax.

When we had made enough for our family, we used the rest of the wax to create a special Solstice candle. Big B and little b poured in "snow" and pine and fir needles to capture winter in the wax.

We lit the candle every night from Solstice to Christmas, and said "Happy Birthday Sun!" The kids also reenacted the battle of the Oak King and the Holly King, their favorite Solstice story.

Solstice is a special time in our home, the time we remember a sweet baby joining us beneath the Christmas tree, three years ago. Happy BIRTH day, little b.